What We Help Schools and Systems Do

  • Strengthen trust, coherence, and shared responsibility

  • Improve long-term organizational conditions for students and adults

  • Build cultures that endure beyond individual leaders

  • Support sustainable student growth through intentional community design

 

From Compliance to Commitment

A Culture-First School

Culture-First

Compliance-Driven

Shared purpose and responsibility outlast individual leaders

Trust, clarity, and support are intentionally strengthened

Meetings reinforce purpose, values, and long-term priorities

Systems improve alongside expectations

Continuous improvement becomes part of the culture itself

Improvement depends heavily on individual leaders

Trust and coherence vary across teams

Meetings focus primarily on logistics and mandates

Initiatives are added faster than systems improve

Improvement feels episodic or externally driven



Quick Infographic

What clients and others are saying

testimonials

What is it about the school that attracted you? - How everyone wanted not only to create an excellent environment for the kids, but also for the adults…The opportunity to be involved in a wonderful school environment…I appreciated the school’s philosophy and values...The values.

Survey responses from staff members who were brought on together following Rich’s work with the school’s leader.

Teacher shortages and turnover are not just about pay, preparation, and pipelines—they reflect the culture. Schools thrive when communities unite around shared values, and leaders collaboratively build environments where those expectations come alive. I’ve seen this my whole career, and so has Rich—and he’s not just talking about it.

Dr. Charles Coble, an international authority on teacher preparation and development, and past Vice President of the Education Commission of the States

Rich helped us, as a new school, dig deep to understand and fully flesh out our shared values, and then to integrate and live those values throughout the school. The shift takes time, but for us it has paid dividends over the years by creating a cohesive group of adults moving forward toward a shared educational vision.

- Tammy Finch, K-8 Director of The Expedition School - one of North Carolina’s continually, highest-rated public schools.

I put my heart and soul into the school, and I was concerned that, like so many other schools that lose a long-term leader, the turnover rate would soar and damage the program we had built together over so many years. … Rich’s guidance was completely successful. After I left, the turnover rate did not spike, and the framework remains in place years later.

- Mitch Stensland, retired principal of Chatham Central High School, North Carolina

A people-centric culture — one that truly nurtures students, families, and employees — is what sets a school system apart. Whether you are new to the superintendency or your board and team are ready to elevate your work, I encourage you to speak with Rich. Our experience with him was very positive, and we look forward to partnering with him and Gayle again.

- Dr. Markley, former superintendent of New Hanover County Schools and chair of North Carolina’s large school district leadership group.

For years, I, like Rich, have partnered with People Ink. Today, that framework is woven into the cultures of all five universities in the Texas Tech system. As a result, students, faculty, staff, future health practitioners, and graduates are thriving and growing in ways that were not possible before.

- Steve Sosland, retired Leader and Culture Development Vice Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System

Many programs, like ours, struggle to take root because schools aren’t ready for change, or conditions shift when leadership turns over. Rich’s approach can equip schools to build the structures, habits, and culture needed for lasting growth—so teachers can succeed, leaders can stay, and students can thrive year after year.

- Dr. Terry Roberts, long-time director of the National Paideia Center, one of the oldest school reform models in the United States

We incorporate our values into everything we do, starting with hiring and onboarding. Our staff embodies our core values because these principles are not just words on paper—they guide every aspect of how we care for our patients and interact with our community. Through quarterly staff meetings focused on our built-on-values model, regular recognition of value-based behavior, and open discussions about the importance of these values, our team is deeply committed to living them out daily. From leadership setting the example to ongoing training and support, we ensure that every staff member understands and incorporates our core values into their work, creating a culture of compassionate, patient-centered care.

Compassion Health Care, including The Caswell County Family Medical Center, serves multiple rural communities along the Virginia-North Carolina border. Work with the CCFMC followed support of an initial partner school.

Building Culture, Growing Success

We fully endorse Rich as a specialist in our process, based on collaboration across multiple projects.

Ann Rhoades is a nationally respected culture pioneer and the best-selling author of Built on Values (with a foreword by Stephen Covey). As the founder of People Ink, she has spent more than 25 years helping purpose-driven leaders design values-based cultures where people feel trusted, empowered, and inspired to do their best work. Ann served as Chief People Officer for legendary organizations like Southwest Airlines and JetBlue, helping build workplaces defined by humanity, high performance, and enduring trust. Her influence spans higher-education, patient-centered medicine, hospitality, nonprofits, and beyond—anywhere leaders want to turn strong values into lasting results. A sought-after speaker and advisor, Ann has served on numerous boards, been featured in major publications, and is a long-time member of the Washington Speakers Bureau. She remains a powerful advocate for building organizations where people come first—and culture follows.

Follow your next strategic planning process by aligning your community accordingly. Talk to Rich—he can explain the process specific to education.

Christopher T. Cross has been a driving force in American education policy for over five decades—shaping systems, informing leadership, and advancing equity from the White House to the classroom. A trusted advisor to local, state, and national leaders, Chris has served in some of the most influential roles in the field: Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education, President of the Maryland State Board of Education, President of the Council for Basic Education, Director of Education at the Business Roundtable, and Co-founder of FourPoint Education Partners (formerly Cross & Joftus). He has also lent his expertise as a Senior Fellow with both the Education Commission of the States and the Center for Education Policy. Few have done more to translate bold ideas into real-world policy. Chris’s enduring commitment to thoughtful, evidence-based reform continues to strengthen the nation’s schools—and he is one of many national leaders who recognize and stand behind the work Rich is doing to help influence the future of educational leadership.

About Us

LeadingSchools Forward was founded in 2016 by Rich Sinclair with the support of UNC–Chapel Hill, Duke University, K–12/20 education leaders, and in partnership with organizational culture pioneer People Ink.

Our mission is to help ensure that access to strong, enduring educational cultures depends not on privilege, policy, or proximity, but on the commitment of each school community to intentionally build them together.

We believe the United States’ long-term struggle to sustain significant student growth is connected, in part, to fragmentation, turnover, and a lack of organizational cohesion across schools and systems. As teachers, leaders, initiatives, and priorities frequently change, schools often struggle to sustain the trust, clarity, and shared responsibility necessary for continuous improvement over time.

As international education leadership expert Michael Fullan writes:

“Culture is the hallmark of effective leadership.”

Rich Sinclair is a teacher, school leader, and K–12 culture specialist who helps schools and systems build coherent, purpose-driven communities where students and adults can thrive together. His work spans elementary, middle, and high schools as well as a medical center, supporting organizations as they clarify shared values, strengthen relationships, and create the conditions for sustained growth and continuous improvement. Rich has partnered with large systems to strengthen leadership capacity, conducted doctoral-level research on organizational coherence in education, and applied these strategies directly in classrooms to help students grow through increased agency, belonging, and collective efficacy. Earlier in his career, he helped lead the collaborative turnaround of four K–12 schools, significantly improving student behavior, achievement, and/or enrollment, and later contributed to the refinement of a leading international college preparatory school. His path began with the transformational impact a single elementary teacher had on his life, an experience that continues to shape his belief in what students, adults, and communities can become when culture is intentional. Outside of his work, Rich enjoys exploring Colorado and beyond with his wife, Amy, a statewide leader in rural philanthropy, and spending time with their son, Cole, a student at the University of Colorado.

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Rich’s long time mentor, Gayle Watson, is a nationally respected culture strategist and co-founder of People Ink (1999), where she has spent over 30 years helping organizations build values-driven cultures that elevate both people and performance. A trusted advisor across industries, from patient-centered medicine and higher education to global enterprise, Gayle is known for translating vision into strategy and culture into results. As a former Chief Learning Officer, she led transformational work in leadership development, culture alignment, and talent systems for one state’s large organization. Today, her consulting and executive coaching shape the leadership pipelines and cultural frameworks of mission-driven institutions nationwide. A passionate advocate for women in business, Gayle has served as Board Chair of the National Association of Women Business Owners and as a board member for the Center for Women’s Business Research. She brings not just insight but impact, fueling organizational growth through trust, clarity, and people-first leadership. Gayle lives in Bella Vista, Arkansas, where she and her husband Grant enjoy time on the golf course and in their community. To learn more about Gayle, Ann Rhoades, and the rest of the Built on Values® team, visit www.peopleink.com.

One-page introduction & Readiness Assessment

OUR PURPOSE 🌟

We help schools and systems strengthen the human and organizational conditions that allow students, educators, families, and communities to thrive together over the long term.

The commitments below outline how we show up, how we lead, and how we work together. These values are not simply beliefs, they are lived behaviors. Through shared purpose, shared values, and shared responsibility, we help schools and communities create intentional cultures that can endure and strengthen over time, regardless of background or circumstance.

INTERDEPENDENCE 🔗

We succeed through trust, transparency, and shared responsibility.

  • Focus relentlessly on progress that benefits students, families, communities, and colleagues.

  • Seek out the strengths, insights, and perspectives of others, especially those closest to the work.

  • Step in to support others, close gaps, and ensure no one carries the work alone.

  • Recognize and celebrate the contributions of others in ways that build trust, momentum, and belonging.

Reflection Prompt:

How have I contributed to the success or support of others in a way that strengthened the community as a whole?

PURPOSE 🎯

We do what is right for the long-term health of people, relationships, and communities.

  • Build trust through consistent actions, honest communication, and follow-through.

  • Contribute fully to shared goals and responsibilities rather than operating in isolation.

  • Protect the integrity of the work, even when the right choice is more difficult than the easiest one.

Reflection Prompt:

What action did I take this week that reflected our deeper purpose and long-term commitments?

GROWTH 🌱

We grow ourselves and others so communities can thrive sustainably over time.

  • Ask thoughtful and courageous questions that challenge assumptions and open new possibilities.

  • Welcome diverse perspectives as essential to learning, improvement, and innovation.

  • Grow through reflection, feedback, humility, and a willingness to improve.

  • Strengthen collective capacity by helping others lead, learn, and succeed alongside us.

Reflection Prompt:

How have I contributed to the growth of others or strengthened our shared capacity this month?

Shared Responsibility Indicators 📈

We measure progress through the lived experiences and long-term outcomes of the communities we serve.

LEADING INDICATORS

  • Student Academic Resilience

  • Family Partnership

  • Employee Engagement

  • Transformative & Shared Leadership

  • Community Support

LONG-TERM OUTCOMES

  • Student Academic Growth

  • Enrollment & Retention

  • Staff Cohesion & Retention

  • Shared Leadership Across Roles & Levels

  • Community Investment & Trust

NOTES

Schools and systems can assess internal cohesion through survey questions related to trust, inclusion, clarity, pride, belonging, collaboration, and shared responsibility, alongside the indicators above.

  • Student Academic Resilience refers to students’ ability to persist, recover, and continue growing academically despite challenges or setbacks. Resilience is strengthened through supportive relationships, family partnership, educator engagement, effective leadership, and strong community conditions.

  • Transformative Leadership refers to the extent to which leaders and community members inspire others around a shared purpose, strengthen collaboration and trust, and help sustain meaningful improvement over time.

Connect with us

HOW WE CAN SUPPORT

Baseline Reflection & Assessment
What kind of culture and future does your community hope to build and how closely do your current conditions, relationships, and systems support that vision today?

 

Ongoing Partnership & Support
Schools and systems naturally drift, especially during periods of growth, leadership transition, stress, or change. We help communities strengthen alignment, rebuild trust, and sustain long-term coherence over time.

Leadership Conversations & Collaboration Interested in exploring these ideas, sharing challenges, or discussing possibilities for your school or system? We welcome thoughtful conversations with educators, leaders, universities, and community partners committed to long-term improvement.

 

Is your school or system designed primarily to comply, or to continuously strengthen the conditions that help students and communities thrive?

Schools built primarily around short-term compliance often struggle to sustain long-term coherence, trust, and improvement as leaders, initiatives, and priorities change. Schools built around shared purpose, shared responsibility, and strong organizational conditions are more likely to sustain growth over time.

To learn more, explore two of Rich’s recent journal articles below.

Built for Continuous Improvement: Professional Accountability in Schools
Colorado’s Alignment to Reduced Educator Turnover and Student Achievement Gaps Through Teaching and Learning Conditions